The Dillon tribune., 1887-06-24
MANUFACTURE OF GOLD LeAe
Work and Wages Of Gold l3oatcr..Som. .
Interesting Informatiu

Work and Wages Of Gold lssatcr.-som.
Interesting Information.
Gold leaf is manufactured in about
twenty shops IN New York and its
suburbs. It is estimated that 20. 500
ounces of gold arc consumed annually
here III making gold leaf. Gold an l,c
beaten SO thin that it will take 1,a0O
leaves to equal the thickness Of the sheet
upon whicl, thi, paper is printed. An
ounce can l'c beaten down to $500 leaves
three and three. ciyhts inches square,
At an establishment III Tfi1sSn street u
reporter wis told that Tie goll l. bought
1t brokers in small ihglNs. which are
melted into 'nrs about 4 q,,art.r of an
inch thick. These are rolled into rib,
hon as thick as note paper. After passing
through tl4' hands Of the heaters it il nut
III books. Interviewed with MANILA tissue,
apd twenty Looks are put in y package.
No: dross comes from the gold as it is
'Ns'ten. but there are ragged etlges that
drop off. The leaf is used by giltlers,
boOkhintlcrs. dentists and sign painters. :. -
The wages Of gold heaters are S11 u
week. A piece hand gets *5 II beating.
A good one can possibly do two week,
and us many as nine month have been
done. Extra is paid il the workman
heats the gold below five grains to a hook.
Some can 20 to- four and oncsAalff and
even four grains; per ln'ol. g. / II
''T1ow thin can yos, gtt it.''' heater in
Broome street was asked: -,
lit is beaten to one thr0-l,u,atretl-
tllousandtll Of an inch thick at five grains
to the book. If it gets down to four
grains it is one thee e<,-lundrrtl-and.sixty-
tlousandtll IF All inch. The Now, York
system employs men only. with girls to
do the cutting. The German system scm-
ploys children Of 4 or .. Tn that system,
men do the heating and girls do the prim-
ing and tllling.'
elbow is tho gold lnatcn:''
"1t Is beaten in ,nclds made in London
from the intestines OF cows. cleaned and
vanished with q secret preparation man.
ufactured by Puclstidgn Il Nephew; Of
London. The skins are put in packages
Of 500 skins each, and three or these
rnolds go to a bcating.''
Elbow m,,cl. gold is there in ~ beat
ing?''
Fifty Ial,nyweights ina heating. Th.
ribbon oc solid gold IL divided into 10
| or l8O pieces, cici, about an inch square.
| These are put into cutcll made Of
! French paper four inches square. That
Is beaten until we get tho gold to the
edges. It il handled with pincers at that
| time. It is lx.sten lialf IN hour. Tho
pieces are then piled twenty ON top Of
each other. They are then cut in four
and doubled over. making :2O. They arc
then put in a 'sch"lcr,' or finer mold cut
down. We till the srhoder with those
leaves in the middle. aud beat it out to
the edges. We beat it about two hours,
| until we draw about ten penny weights of
the schodcr.''
''Does IL have to liz kept ,lry:"
''We have to keep the windows shut
but the clutches. A:holcrs and luolds take
up 80 much moisture that they have to bt
put in a hot mold to press the moisture
out"
docs that finish it,
'sOh, no. The leaves arc cut again
ilto four with tool called a wagon,
making 1850, but the molds hold onl,.
9,7OO. The nAolds are beaten four hours
at the end of each hour there being what
is called a closr. when they are heated
Then the beatcr is through with it, and
tho cutter takes it. This is the only work
done by the girls in New York. They
can cut from thirty to sixty -four books ;
day, at two and half cents Il hook. TIL
leaf when it gets in Il hook is so thin thai
it is handled only with the BREATH
''How is the work testcl:''
i '.Only with the eye. There il no r,ll,
alo,,t tho business. hut it is purely Il mat
ter of skill and Judgment. The best i
the kind ,,stxl on glass. which, shows ii
i1nperfections.
II notice gold heaters usually work il
tasernents. Why is tl,at:''
"a tir.ner blow can be given. Ii on th'
. first story, there IL Il jar. which dttcrior
!, : atcs the quality.
'Js there any :.tlulterati'm il: the bust
,,e.ss.::'
:.T!,e Germans heat what is called ;
metal leaf with IN alloy. 1t is sold yer.
cheap. It is oieolI,argarinc Of gold leaf
: and will tarnis',. Much "f il is used b.
lxx,kbiMlcrs.'
..When dill the trade START
- lit il very ancient. 1t is mentioned il
! tho Bible. Gold leaf was used on Solo
= mons temple. The Chinese heat gol'
leaf. but it cannot tUlnlmr" in gtlalit
with American leaf. Some of the China
:, men had trouble with their employers
! hut they soon ended il. They got tn
:. c,nplover into their lmlge room. and the
! one after another took IL big bite out c
his flesh. New York Sun.
Il sunday in Paris.
y The French positively refuse I" rct'o4
Il uize Sunday asa day of rest. I'll" Frcnc
It workman seems to identify tho breach